Battery terminal clamp



Sept. 3, 1929.

J. B. scHAF ETvAL 1,727,219

BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP Filed Sept. 9, 1927 ATTOR N EY Patented Sept. 3,1929.

UNITED STATES JOACHIM B. SCHARF AND MAX ROTH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP.

Application led September 9, 1927.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in battery terminalclamps and has for its principal object the provision of an improvedconstruction of this character which will be highly efficient in use andeconomical in manufacture.

Among the salient objects of the invention is to provide a clamp for theterminal of a storage battery which will assure a'positive connectionbetween itself and the terminal ost. p A still further object of theinvention is to provide a simple means for releasably attaching theclamp to a terminal post of a storage battery.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto bc hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clamp embodied in the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a clamp showing a modified form ofconstruction;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line .By-3 ofFig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 4 4 ofFig. 2.

' Referring more particularly' to the drawing, the clamp 10 includes ajaw 11 which is adapted to be clamped on the terminalpost of a storagebattery. This clamp 10 provides a split sleeve 12 for the reception ofone end portion of a cable which is secured in the sleeve by solder orthe like. The jaw 11 provides a central opening 13 and the walls 14 ofthis opening have formed thereon a plurality of spaced teeth or prongs15. The ends of the jaw include bearing heads 16 carrying a bolt 17 onwhich is threaded a nut 18 where by to facilitate clamping the jaws to,the terminal post.

To apply the clamp to the terminal post the jaws are positioned in placeand clamped on the post and as the nut is threaded upon the bolt 17 thejaws will be drawn together and the prongs forced into the terminal postthereby assuring positive connectin between the clamp and the post.

In Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive we have shown a modified form of constructionand in this construction the aws f the clamp are indiserial No. 218,529.

cated at 19 and the sleeve at 20. A wedging cap 1s indicated at 21 andthis wedging cap 1s substantially U-shaped in cross section to providelimb portions 22 which are pivotally secured to the jaws through themedium 0f bolts 23. The bight- .portion 24 of the cap provides a lip 25beneath which a screw driver or other tool is a adapted to be placed forpivoting the cap in an upward position to p`erm1t expansion of the.jawsby inserting the tip. of the screw driver or other tool in the space26 between the jaws and spreading the jaws apart. The inner walls of thelimb portions have formed thereon tapered lugs 27. These lugs 27 taperdownwardly and when the cap is pivoted down upon the jaws these taperedlugs will act upon the jaws and force the jaws toward each other toclamp upon the terminal post 28. By this arrangement it will be seenthat the usual bolt such as is illustrated in Fig. 1 and indicated at 17is eliminated. It has been found that due to corrosion or acid eating ofthe bolt the bolt often cannot be loosened. By the provision of the capit is manifest that when formed of non-corrosive material the cap can beeasily pivoted into and from jaw clamping position.

It is intended that the clamp illustrated in Fig. 1 and also in Fig. 2be formed of a noncorrosive material of a well-known `ingredient.

The jaws 19 in the modified form of construction likewise may beprovided with the teeth or prongs 15. While we have illustrated anddescribed the preferred form of construction for carry* ing ourinvention into effect, this is capable of variation and .modification,without departing from the spirit of the invention. We, therefore,dopnot wish to be limited to the precise 'details of construction setforth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations andmodifications as come within the scope of the appended claims. v

Having thus described our invention what we claim 'as new and desire toprotect by Letters Pat-ent is 1. In a clamp for the terminal post of a istorage battery including a sleeve adapted for the 'reception of one endportion of a cable, jaws formed as an integral part of the sleeve andincluding a central opening, penetrating members carried by the wall ofthe opening and adapted to penetrate into'the wall ofthe terminal post,and a member pivotally carried by the jaws and including 'wedge shapedelements operable on the jaws for forcing the jaws into clampingposition upon the post and for forcing the penetrating members into thepost.

2. In a clamp for the terminal post of a storage battery, a sleeveadapted for the reception of one end portion of a Cable, jaws formed asan integral part of the sleeve, and

including a central opening, and a member pivotally carried by the jawsand including wedge elements operable on the jaws for forcing said jawsinto clamping engagement upon the post of a storage battery.

In testimony whereof We ax our signatures.

f JOACHIM B. SCHARF.

MAX ROTH.

